OV J Bulletin No. 5. 

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 

DIVISION OF POMOLOGY. 



Zi,^ 



FIG CULTURE. 



EDIBLE FIGS: THEIR CULTURE AxND CURING. 



By QUSTAV EISEN, 

Cura-tor in Biology, California Academy of Sciences, 
San Francisco, Cal. 



FIG CULTURE IN THE GULF STATES. 



By FRANK S. EARLE, 

Horticulturist, Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 
1897. 



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Gass Sd^Q£. 
Bonk ^^ y 



Bulletin No. 5. 



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U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 
if 

DIVISION OF POMOLOGY. 



FIG CULTURE. i2l 



EDIBLE FIGS: THEIR CULTURE AND CURING. 



By QUSTAV EISEN, 

Curator m Biology, California Academy of Sciences, 
San Francisco, Cal. 



FIG CULTURE IN THE GULF STATES. 



By FRANK S^^EARLE, 

Horticulturist, Alabama Experiment Station, Auburn, Ala. 




WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 



'897. K 






LETTER OF TRANSMIITAL. 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 

Division of Pomology, 
Washmgton, I). C, Jatiuary 30, 1897. 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, and to recommend for 
pubhcation as a bulletin of this division, articles on "Edible figs: their 
culture and curing," by Dr. Gustav Eiseu, of San Francisco, Cal., and 
"Fig culture in the Gulf States," by Frank S. Earle, of Auburn, Ala. 
The climatic conditions of the sections of the United States in which 
figs can be successfully grown are so widely different that it has been 
deemed advisable to publish these papers as one bulletin, in order that 
a comprehensive presentation of the subject may be within reach of 
those interested in this industry. 

S. B. Heiges, Fomologist. 
Hon. J. Sterling Morton, 

tSecretary of Agriculture. 



MARSHA 
D. ot D. 



CONTENTS, 



Page. 

Edible Figs: Their Cultup.e and Ctring. (By Gustav Eisen.) 5 

Nature and structure, of the llowers auil fruit of the iij;; 5 

Classification of A'arieties of edible fij^s 6 

Varieties of figs found useful in California 7 

Caprification 10 

Climate suitable for fig culture 10 

Figs for drying 10 

Figs for table use 11 

Figs for preserving, canning, and bouic cousuniption 11 

Soil 11 

Propagation 12 

Seedlings 13 

Budding and grafting 13 

Planting 14 

Double trees 14 

Standard trees 15 

Pruning 15 

Drying and curing 16 

Picking 16 

Suli)huring 17 

Dipping fresh figs 17 

Drying on trays 18 

Degree of dryness 19 

Sweating and equalizing 19 

Artificial drying 19 

Packing 20 

Dipping 20 

. Assorting 20 

Pulling 20 

Packing 21 

Pressing 21 

Fig Culture in the Gule States. (By Frank S. Earlc.) 23 

Propagation 23 

Soil and location 24 

Cultivation and fertilization 25 

Insect enemies and diseases 26 

Fig-tree borer 26 

Fig-leaf mite 27 

Root knot 27 

Fig-leaf rust 27 

Fig Cercospora 27 

Die back 28 

Root rot 28 

Varieties 28 

List of figs recommended by American Pomological Society 29 

Uses 29 

Marketing fresh figs 30 

Canning factories 31 

3 



FIG CXJLTXJRE. 



EDIBLE FIGS: THEIR CULTURE AND CURING. 

By GusTAV EisEN. 

The edible figs cultivated in tlie United States both for eating fresh 
and for drying all belong to one species, Ficus carica. Of this species 
there are now described about 400 varieties which are sufficiently dis- 
tinct to be considered by the student and the practical horticulturist. 
The intending planter should study the character of the varieties more 
closely than has hitherto been customary in this country, though his 
safest plan is, of course, to plant in quantity only such varieties as 
have proved valuable in his own locality, or where soil and climate are 
similar. 

NATURE AND STRUCTURE OF THE FLOWERS AND FRUIT OF THE FIG. 

Before we consider these different varieties, a few remarks on the 
nature and structure of the fruit are necessary. The fig which we eat 
is really a receptacle, on the surface of which are situated the numerous 
flowers. But as this surface is concave, or curved inwardly, like the 
hollow of a closed hand, the flowers can not be seen except when the 
fig is cut. Then it becomes apparent that the chamber formed by the 
curved receptacle communicates with the outside by means of the "eye" 
at its apex. In some varieties the "eye" is almost closed, opening only 
when the fig has reached a certain age; in others it is so large that a 
pea could easily jiass through. The flowers are always more or less 
fleshy, are generally imperfect, and do not much resemble the bright 
flowers of other fruit trees and plants in our gardens. There are four 
distinct kinds of fig flowers, but these are not always found in a single 
fig, in fact tltey are rarely all found together. They are designated as 
follows: 

Male Jfoicers. — These possess four pollen- j)roducing stamens. They 
are found only in the wild or "capriflg," the ancestor of our cultivated 
figs, and in a very few varieties of edible figs. 

Female flo^cers. — These possess a single style, stigma, and ovary, and 
when fertilized, produce seeds. .Owing to the absence of male flowers, 
or the failure of the male and female flowers in the same fig to mature 
at the same time, they rarely produce fertile seeds unless fertilized by 
pollen carried by insects. 

5 



Gall flowers. — These are degenerate female flowers which do not pro- 
duce seeds, the abortive ovary serving only for the habitation and 
breeding place of a very small wasp, the BlastopUaga^ which is used in 
capriflcation. The gall flowers are found only in the original wild fig. 

Mule flowers. — These are imperfect female flowers, incapable of pro- 
ducing seeds or of affording a breeding place for the wasp. These 
flowers are found to the exclusion of all others in most of our culti- 
vated figs. 

Because of these diiferences in the flowers the numerous varieties of 
edible figs may be divided into tribes or subspecies. These are as 
follows: 

CLASSIFICATION OF VARIETIES OF EDIBLE FIGS, 

C'aprifigs {goat figs or wild figs). — These figs grow wild in southern 
Europe, nortliern Africa, and western Asia, and have been recently 
introduced into California. They bear all the kinds of flowers except 
the mule flowers, and as they are the only figs bearing male flowers 
they are essential in all fig districts where mature and fertile seeds are 
of importance, or in other words, where caprification is necessary. 

Smyrna figs. — These are grown only in the Smyrna district of Asia 
Minor. They have only female flowers, and neither these latter nor the 
receptacle on which they grow will come to any maturity without cap- 
rification or pollination. So-called Smyrna figs, which have been 
bought of nurserymen, have generally proved spurious, as, unlike the 
true Smyrna figs, they mature their fruit without pollination. Of late 
years true Smyrna figs have been planted in California, but they have 
failed to ripen fruit except when artificially pollinated. These will not 
produce ripe fruit in commercial quantities until caprification can be 
practiced, and neither these nor the caprifig should be planted at the 
present time, except for experimental purposes. 

Common edible figs. — These are the common varieties of our orchards, 
which bear fruit and mature it with regularity without pollination or 
caprification. They bear two crops a year, the "early figs" or ''brebas," 
and the later or ''summer figs." Of this tribe alone there are some 
400 varieties described more or less perfectly, and probably as many 
more undescribed and unknown. 

San Pedro figs. — This tribe contains only a few dozen varieties, some 
of which are cultivated in California, and also in Florida and other 
Southern States. They are characterized by maturing only the first crop 
or "brebas." The second crop always drops before reaching maturity. 
The cause of this is that the first crop contains only "mule flowers," 
like those of the common figs, while the second contains only "female 
flowers," like those of the Smyrna figs. 

The San Pedro tribe of fig varieties is specially valuable on account 
of the large size and early maturity of the "brebas" or first crop. 
They should, therefore, be planted only in places where it is desirable 
to grow large, early figs, for marketing fresh. They do not succeed 
everywhere, as they require a warm and early spring climate. 



In tropical countries tliere are numerous varieties of other species of 
figs growing wild. Many of them are edible, but all are less palatable 
than our edible fig, and with the exception of the Sycomore fig, Ficus 
sycomoriis, of Africa, are of no economic importance except as food for 
animals. 

For this purpose, however, they are very useful, and the Sycomore 
fig should be introduced into the Southern States, where it would 
probably thrive in frost-free localities. 

VARIETEES OF FIGS FOUND USEFITL IN CALIFORNIA. 

The existing confusion regarding the names of the varieties of the 
fig is largely due to incomiilete descriptions. The following points are 
of importance in every tig description, and should always be noted : Size, 
form, neck, stalk, ribs, eye, color of skin, color of pulp, seeds, quality, 
growth, and leaf. In order to simplify descriptions, these points should 
always be mentioned in the same order. It is also of great importance 
to note whether the first crop alone matures fruit, and whether the two 
crops differ materially in any of the above-mentioned points. 

Of the 400 or more described varieties of figs, comparatively few 
have been tested in the United States. Most of those tested are French 
or hot-house varieties, very few southern or Mediterranean figs having 
been introduced, though many of the latter are worthy of testing in 
this country. 

A few of the varieties that have been found most useful in California 
are described : 

Adriatic. — Size medium, roundish; neck medium, stalk short; ribs 
obscure; eye open, with red iris; skin very thin, greenish in the shade, 
yellowish in the sun; pulp bright strawberrry red or with violet streaks 
in the meat; varies in quality according to location. 

This has been found very useful in California, but is not of fine flavor 
when dried. It requires rich soil, with considerable moisture and a 
very large percentage of lime. This variety is not identical with that 
known in Italy as Adriatic. 

Angelique (syn. Angelica). — Medium, pyriform; ribs prominent, 
yellowish white; pulp white with rose-colored center; leaves five-lobed. 
A very good variety in some of the coast valleys. 

Athenes (syn. Marseillaise). — Small, roundish or turbinate, with indis- 
tinct ribs, depressed at apex, skin rough; color whitish yellow, pulp 
red, opaline; very sweet and one of the best drying figs both in France 
and California. 

BOUR.TASSOTTE, Black (syn. Barnissotte, Blade). — Medium, broader 
than long, flattened at apex, Avith no neck and an uneven cheek; ribs 
distinct, even; eye small, sunk, closed; skin waxy, black with violet 
blush; bloom clear blue, wanting at apex; meat pink, pulp blood-red. 
A most excellent fig for table. It requires rich, moist soil. 

BouR.iASSOTTE, AVniTE (syu. Barnissofte, White). — A fig related to 
the former, but larger; eye large, sunk; skin waxy, green ; pulp bright 
red. A very fine fig. Tree very large. 



8 



Brown Turkey.— Large, turbinate, pyriform, with hardly distinct 
neck; stalk short; apex flattened; ribs few, slightly elevated; eye 
medium, slightly open, scales large; skin smooth, greenish to violet- 
brown in sun, with darker ribs; pulp dark, rosy red, quality good, and 
tree a good bearer. Brunswick is frequently confounded with this fig. 

Brunswick. — Very large, pyriform, with swollen cheeks, one of which 
is larger than the other; apex very obtuse; neck and stalk very short; 
ribs distinct, but not much elevated ; eye medium, open ; skin pale amber 
with violet tint ; pulp amber. An early, large fig, but with no flavor. 
Very common; requires rich, moist soil. 

Celeste, Blue (syn. Violette). — Small, ovate, turbinate; ribs few, 
but distinct, especially near apex; eye raised, rough; color dark, violet 
amber, without reddish blush; bloom confined to the neck; skin thin; 
pulp deep rose; meat amber; sweet, but lacking in flavor. 

DoTTATO. — Medium ovate, pyrifom; neck well set; stalk very short 
or none ; ribs low ; skin smooth ; eye medium ; skin thin, yellowish green ; 
meat white; pulp yellowish amber, sometimes with violet flush. One 
of the best figs for drying ; tree a strong grower, requiring moist, rich 
soil. Lately introduced into California. 

Drap d'Or. — Large, jiyriform, with very low neck and stalk; ribs 
elevated ; apex obtuse and concave ; color light, violet, reddish amber, 
not dark; pulp rosy red. A fig of very fine quality, especially useful 
for confections and crystallizing; not identical with Brunswick. 

Du Eoi. — Above medium; round, pyriform; stalk very short; eye 
large or variable, with scales standing out; skin smooth, pale bluish 
green ; pulp amber, with rosy streaks and exceedingly minute seeds. 
Related to Marseillaise and Athenes, and one of the very best figs in 
California for drying. 

Early Violet. — Small to very small, round, turbinate; neck dis- 
tinct but short; stalk medium to long; ribs distinct, elevated, skin 
rough; violet-brown, with thin, pearl- colored bloom; pulp red. This 
variety bears almost continuously and is preferable to the Ischias and 
Celeste. 

Genoa, White. — Above medium, pyriform ; neck small ; stalk short; 
ribs indistinct; skin downy; eye very small; skin pale olive-green; 
pulp pale rose. One of the better figs, quite distinct from Marseillaise. 

Gentile. — Very large; ovate pyriform; neck short but distinct; 
stalk very short; skin uneven, with ridges; eye very large, open, with 
projecting scales; color greenish yellow spotted with white; pulp amber, 
streaked with rose ; seeds few but very large. Only the first crop of 
this variety ripens. It is of the San Pedro tribe. One of the best 
early figs. 

Grosse Grise BiFi^RE. — Medium, ovate pyriform ; neck very short, 
stalk short; ribs distinct; eye small; skin downy, dark violet amber, 
pale olive in shade; the bloom is separated by a distinct line from the 
apex; pulp deep red. A tender, good fig. 



1 



IsCHiA, BLACK. — Small ; neck short ; stalk medium ; skin smooth ; 
color dark, violet black, greenish around the apex; neck dark; eye 
medium, open; bloom thin, dark blue; pulp red. Of fair quality but 
small size. 

IsCHiA, White. — Size below medium, round, with small neck; stalk 
very short; eye open; skin smooth, bluish green with brown liush; 
pulp rosy red. Common in California, but hardly worthy of cultiva- 
tion in that State. 

Magdalen. — Below medinm ; round ; ribs distinct, rough, disappear- 
ing around the eye; stalk longer than the figj eye oi)en, large; skin 
greenish yellow; pulp amber white. A very delicious fig, superior to 
the Ischias and Celeste; not synonymous with Angelique. 

Marseillaise, Long. — Large, longer than wide; skin thick with 
brownish shade; pulp dull red. Requires moist soils. A fair fig which 
dries well; not related to either Black or White Marseillaise. 

Marseillaise, White. — Medium ovate, pyriform ; neck short; stalk 
medium; ribs numerous and distinct; apex flattened; eye large, open; 
skin downy, i)ale yellowish green, mottled with white; pulp amber, with 
a few large seeds. One of the best figs for drying. Requires sandy, 
rich so'rl. 

Mission, Black. — Medium to large, turbinate; neck long; stalk 
short; ribs distinct; eye prominent, open; skin rough, deep mahogany 
violet, with a red flush; pulp not fine, red, but not bright or brownish 
amber; sweet but not high-flavored; common in the Southern States, 
California, and Mexico. The oldest fig in this country. 

Monaco Bianco (syn. White Monaco). — Large, rounded, turbinate, 
flattened; neck small but very distinct; ribs numerous; eye very open; 
skin dark, bluish green with thin bloom; pulp dark-red rose; a most 
excellent fig for table; one of the best in California. 

PASTiLii:RE. — Large, 3 inches by li; elongated, pyriform with long 
neck; stalk short; eye closed, surrounded by an elevated iris; skin 
rough, hairy, with blue bloom; pulp red. Fine for ijreserves. 

Eonde Noire. — Large, round, but irregular; neck distinct, short; 
eye small ; skin smooth, waxy, dark violet brown ; pulp amber. Greatly 
to be recommended as a table fig. It is not related to Black Ischia or 
Osborn Prolific. 

San Pedro, Black. — Very large, elongated ovate, with no stalk, but 
with well set neck; skin smooth, violet black "with green neck; pulp 
red, coppery, tinted violet. For table use. The largest fig known. It 
is not related to the following variety: 

San Pedro, White (syn. Brebas). — Yery large, round, flattened at 
apex ; stalk and neck short ; eye open ; skin thick, tender, of a bright 
yellow color or greenish in the shade, without bloom; pulp amber. A 
remarkable and handsome fig. Only the first crop matures without 
caprification. Suited only for table use. Requires moist, rich soil. 

Yerdal, Round. — Below medium, round pyriform, without stalk or 



10 

neck; skin smooth, waxy, bluisli green; eye closed; pulp dark, blood 
red. A small fig, but valuable for cauning and preserves; better than 
the Ischias or Celeste. It does well in the Santa Clara Valley, but is 
inferior in the interior of the State. 

CAPRIFTCATION. 

This process must be practiced wherever the Smyrna figs are growu, 
for without it they will not mature either seeds or figs. The flowers of 
the Smyrna figs are all pistillate and require pollination, which in the 
case of these varities can be effected on a large scale only tbrougli 
caprification. The process consists in the suspension of wild caprifigs, 
which possess staminate and gall flowers, in the Smyrna fig trees, when 
the pistils in the blossoms of the latter are in a receptive condition. A 
minute wasp, the Blastophaga^ breeds in the caprifig in large numbers, 
and on leaving it crawls into the Smyrna fig, covered with the pollen of 
the caprifig. This pollen, transferred by contact from the body of the 
wasp to the receptive stigmas of the flowers in the Smyrna figs, effects 
the fertilization of the ovules of those flowers and causes them to form 
seeds and mature the fruit of which they are a part. These seeds impart 
a nutty aroma and flavor to the fig when dried, and give it a /narlved 
superiority to our common figs. Caprification is not yet practiced in 
the United States, the wasp not existing here, though both it and some 
of the Smyrna figs have been brought to this country several times. The 
first importation of Smyrna fig trees was made by Gulian P. Rixford, 
about 1880, when three varieties of Smyrna figs and a single caprifig 
tree were introduced. 

CLIMATE SUITABLE FOR FIG CULTURE. 

A native of a semitropical climate, the fig requires a similar climate 
to attain perfection. Many horticultural varieties, however, have origi- 
nated in temperate regions, and tliese can be grown with profit in a 
climate much colder than that of the habitat of the wild fig. Figs, in 
fact, may be grown in all regions where peaches and apricots succeed 
without protection, and if given winter protection they can be profitably 
grown in such regions near large cities which furnish a market for the 
fresh fruit at profitable prices. 

In considering the suitability of the climate of a region for fig culture, 
the purpose for which the figs are to be grown must be first determined. 

Figs may be grown for drying, for canning and preserving, for sale 
in the fresh state, or for general home consumption. As the conditions 
and treatment necessary to produce fruit suited to these different uses 
vary considerably, each subject will be discussed separately. 

FIGS FOR DRYING. 

The best dried figa are produced in warm countries, such as the 
Mediterranean region of Europe, Asia Minor, Upper and Lower Cali- 
fornia, but especially in Asia Minor, in the valleys near Smyrna. The 



1 



11 

conditions of climate there are as follows: The days are moderately 
warm, the temperature seldom exceeding 90° F. These conditions 
prevail during the summer, while the figs are growing and ripening. 
The winter is seldom frosty. The winter climate, however, is of less 
importance, provided it is not cold enough to injure the young figs or 
the tips of the branches. Such frosts will not injure the second crop, 
which is used for drying, but it is a great drawback to the wild fig and 
to the fig insects, which are necessary to the maturing of the fruit of 
certain varieties of drying figs. The summer climate is almost rain- 
less, while in winter there are abundant rains. The air in silmmer is 
not a dry, desert air, however, but carries considerable moisture. The 
moisture of the air is an important i)oint, as in a very dry air the figs 
do not develop high flavor, but are " flat " in taste. During the dryiug 
season there should be little or no rain. 

FIGS FOR TABLE USE. ' 

Figs are grown for the table as far north as Paris, in France, and in 
the south of England. 

They may be similarly grown in most of the Middle States of the 
United States. In England figs are grown against walls as dwarf trees 
or shrubs, and the trees are covered with mats during the winter. In 
the vicinity of Paris the trees are dwarfed and grown as "suckers," 
which are bent to the ground in winter and covered with several feet 
of soil. Only certain varieties are suitable for this culture, which, how- 
ever, is very profitable. The figs produced are all "first crop "figs, and 
are as a rule of superior quality. 

FIGS FOR PRESERVING, CANNING, AND HOME CONSUMPTION. 

Except in the most favored localities in the Southern States and 
California, these are the uses to which American-grown figs must be 
devoted. To produce fruit suitable for these purposes, freedom from 
fogs, from summer rains, and from spring frosts is essential. If there 
is a choice of locality, a warm southern or eastern exposure is to be 
preferred. The soil should be well drained, never swampy, and the 
locality should not be exposed to heavy winds. Elevated bottom lands 
or benches along creeks are the most favorable localities for figs. Large 
plains, swampy places, or exposed hillsides are all unlavorable. The 
nearer the conditions approach those of the Smyrna region the better. 
Rains during the fruiting season are frequently injurious to figs, causing 
them to crack and sour. Still, the fruit may be profitably grown where 
moderate summer rains occur. 

SOIL. 

All varieties of figs do not require the same kind of soil. Most of 
them,however,.must have a warm, moist, but not wet soil. A very few 
varieties thrive in a poor, gravelly soil, but most kinds re(|uire a deep, 



12 

rich loam, containing a considerable percentage of lime, in order to pro- 
duce superior figs. A moderate proportion of gravel tends to keep the 
soil warm and is desirable, but the soil must be rich. 

PROPAGATION. 

The fig tree is easily propagated by the methods commonly practiced 
with fruit trees. It may be budded or grafted, but is most readily grown 
from cuttings. These may be planted where the trees are to stand or 
rooted in the nursery rows and transplanted later to the orchard site. 
Which method is advisable for any particular site depends upon the 
conditions there. If the soil and climatic conditions of the proposed 
location are favorable to the uninterrupted growth of cuttings, it is 
better and cheaper to plant them directly in the field. If there is any 
doubt on these points, or if the proper care and attention can not be 
given them, the better plan is to plant trees with good roots and well- 
formed heads, grown under favorable conditions by a nurseryman. The 
best time for making cuttings is after the leaves have fallen, when the 
fig tree is comparatively dormant. Cuttings may be made of either one 
year or two year old wood. If the cuttings are to be planted where 
they can remain, 2-year-old wood is i^referable, as longer cuttings can 
be secured, but if they are to be planted in nursery, yearling wood is 
best. In either case the wood when freshly cut should disclose- a moist 
surface, covered with small, whitish, milky drops. If dry when cut, it 
should be discarded. The length of the cutting must be regulated by 
the condition of the soil. If this is moist and likely to remain so the 
cuttings may be 12 to 1 8 inches long. If the surface soil is dry, the cut- 
ting should be sufficiently long to have its lower end in moist soil. On 
very dry soils this may require a cutting 3 or 4 feet in length, though 
such long cuttings are rarely needed, and in no case except when they 
are to be planted directly in the orchard. In making the cuttings care 
should be observed that the lower cut be made just below a joint or 
node and the upper one just above a joint. The best cutting is one 
which terminates in a bud and has a smooth, clean cut just below a 
joint at its base. No matter what the length of the cutting, it should 
always be planted so deeply that but one joint protrudes above the 
surface of the soil. This will prevent the drying out of the cutting by 
the action of sun and wind. It is better to have the top bud covered 
with earth than to leave a high stump projecting above the surface. 

Fig trees may be grown from single eyes or short tips, in boxes filled 
with moist sand, set in frames and covered with cloth to keep the soil 
moist and cool. These will make fine trees in time, but they generally 
require to be a year older than those grown from large cuttings before 
they are suitable for planting in orchard. Great care should be exer- 
cised in removing fig cuttings or plants from one place to another. 
They dry out readily and a few moments' exposure to the sun or hot, 
dry wind will seriously damage them. They should never be allowed 



13 

to become dry, and should be wrapped in wet sacks or cloths as soon 
as taken from the trees or from the propagating bed. Cuttings partially 
dry may be revived by soaking in water, but fig roots once dry are dead 
and incapable of restoration to life. 

SEEDLINGS. 

Seedling figs are easily grown from seeds of imported Smyrna figs. 
These Smyrna figs always possess germinable seeds, as they have been 
pollinated. It is quite safe to say that any seedling fig so far recorded 
in this country has originated from seeds of Smyrna figs imported from 
Asia Minor. The seeds of our common figs are mere shells without 
germs, and will of course fail to grow. The percentage of trees pro- 
ducing fruit of high quality among seedlings grown from Smyrna figs 
is very small, however, and a commercial orchard planted with such 
seedlings would be a failure. The grower may now and then produce 
a variety which will repay his efibrts, and such variety can be propa- 
gated for general planting. 

BUDDING AND GRAFTING. 

The fig may be propagated by shield budding, provided the work is 
done at the proper time. That time is winter, when the tree is as near 
dormant as it can be found. Budding is rarely resorted to, however, 
as it is an uncertain method when done by persons without skill. 
Grafting the fig is successfully practiced in California by a method 
invented by Mr. John Rock. It is the only method of fig grafting that 
has proved reliable, practical, and of real value there. By means of it, 
new varieties arpi brought into heavy bearing within three years after 
grafting on old trees. In addition to this saving of time, the usual 
advantages resulting from grafting, such as better and stronger stock, 
more vigorous growth, etc., may also be attained. 

The best time for grafting the fig is autumn or winter, when the sap 
is most sluggish. Late spring grafting is less successful. The best 
scions are made of 2-year-old wood. The sloping end of the scion must 
be wedge- shape, tapering from front to back as well as from the top of 
the cut to the bottom. But one surface of the wedge should show the 
pith, and this surface should face toward the center of the stock when 
the scion is set. Incipient fruit buds should be cut away without 
injuring the scion. The scion should be so placed that the broad side 
of the wedge will be outside and the narrow edge toward the center of 
the stock. 

For the stock, any limb from 2 to 4 inches in diameter may be used. 
This should be cut oft" squarely at the point to be grafted. A downward 
cut should then be made with a chisel, in such a way that it shall be 
tangential to the circular stub. It must not pass through the pith of 
tbe stub. The cut should run somewhat obliquely downward and out- 
ward, in order that the stock may not be split. The scion, which is 



14 

about 3 or 4 inches long, must, when inserted, form an angle with the 
long diameter [pith] of the stock branch on which it is grafted. 

It is best to place two scions on each branch grafted. These should 
be on opposite sides of the stub and they should lean slightly toward 
each other. The exposed surfaces of the stock and scion should then 
be heavily waxed and the scions should be held in place by binding 
with cord or other material. It is best to place a large number of 
scions on one tree. Four or five branches may be cut off and grafted, 
but one or two should be left uncut for a year to draw the sap. A 
large stake shcaild be driven into the ground near each branch grafted, 
and when the scions have started the new growth should be secured 
to the stakes to prevent them from breaking off". The trunk and main 
limbs of the fig tree should be covered with bundles of straw to pre- 
vent sunburn. The after-treatment of the new growth is similar to 
that required in the grafting of other fruit trees. The new growth is 
strong and rapid and the connection with the stock perfect. Ninety 
per cent of the grafts may be readily made to grow. 

PLANTING. 

The proper distance to be given fig trees in the orchard depends 
upon the size and habit of the variety to be planted. The smaller 
kinds require 25 feet; the larger ones should be 50 feet apart in every 
direction. Sometimes other fruit trees are planted between the figs 
and allowed to remain until the latter become so large that they require 
the entire space. The fig tree requires an abundance of air and sun- 
shine to mature its fruit, and it is therefore absolutely necessary that 
the trees be so arranged that they shall not shade one another. After 
the distance is decided, the laying out and planting require the same 
general skill, labor, and methods used in i^lanting other permanent 
orchards. A few points in planting are peculiar to the fig, however, 
and require special consideration. 

DOUBLE TREES. 

Trees may be set singly, as standards, in the way commonly practiced 
with other fruit trees, or they may be set '^double" — that is, two trees 
planted together in one hole and allowed to remain. The latter method 
has not heretofore been advocated in this country but is worthy of 
thorough trial. The method consists in planting two long cuttings, 
about 12 inches apart, in the same hole, allowing them to protrude from 
the ground a few inches. Both are allowed to grow and the two are 
treated as a single tree with two stems or standards. The object sought 
is to produce two distinct stems or trunks, in order that the splitting 
down of branches may be prevented. In this way trees with low, slop- 
ing branches, having their main trunks leaning outward, will be formed 
and it will be impossible for the trunks, the main branches, or the 



15 

smaller ones to split down. Branches split only when they point 
upward or stand straight out — never when they slope downward from 
the trunk. 

STANDARD TREES. 

These may be planted in the usual way, but great care must be taken 
in shading the roots while the trees are being planted. After they are 
set, the trunks should be shaded by wrapping them with paper bags 
or other material, as a sun-burnt tree will never regain its health or 
bear profitably. Standard trees should only be set for ornament or shade, 
and even for these purposes the double trees are preferable. The fig 
tree naturally branches near the ground, and the only way to success- 
fully imitate this habit in cultivation is to plant by the double-tree 
method. 

PRUNING. 

The pruning of the fig varies according to the age of the trees and 
the purpose for which pruning is done. While other fruit trees require 
yearly, and generally heavy, pruning to insure fruit of good quality, 
the object in pruning the fig is simply, or at least principally, to keep 
the tree healthy and give air and light to the fruit. The most impor- 
tant rule to be observed in pruning the fig is that no branch shall be 
cut oft' squarely or be cut back so as to leave a stump. This is almost 
surely fatal to the future welfare of the tree and to the quality and 
quantity of its fruit. When it becomes necessary to remove a 1-year- 
old limb the cut should be made at least as far down as the next fork 
below, and it should be close to a joint in the fork. There should be 
nothing left but a scar to show that a limb has been cut away. There 
must be no stumj) left. The fig tree may require to have its branches 
thinned out, but it must not be headed back except to correct unsym- 
metrical growth. In dense trees branches which cross should be 
removed entirely and in such a way as to give tlie tree a rounded, 
dome-like outline, with the lower branches nearly touching the ground. 
In pruning recently planted trees the object in view is, of course, 
entirely different, as fruit can not be expected for several years to come. 
The object of this early pruning is to shape the tree. When two 
cuttings are set together little pruning is required, as they will gener- 
ally shape themselves and form two main trunks diverging from each 
other, but when a single tree is i)lanted it is best to cut back the stem 
to within a foot of the soil and let it branch from that point. The only 
case in which it is proper to have a tall standard is when it is desirable 
to grow trees for shade and pleasure and where the quality of the fruit 
and its quantity are of but secondary importance. If recently planted 
fig trees show any tendency toward drjing out, the main limbs or the 
whole trunk should at once be cut back to live green wood. 



16 

DRYING AND CURING. 

The drying and curing of figs must necessarily differ in different 
countries, under different conditions, and for different purposes. For 
home consumj)tion little skill and care are required to produce a pala- 
table and useful article of diet, while figs intended for shipment must 
be more carefully dried, cured, and packed in order to command a fair 
price in competition with the imi)orted article. 

The fig is mature and ready to dry only when it has attained its 
proper size and is palatable for eating fresh. When the crop has 
reached this stage it may be gathered and dried for home consumption, 
but in order to produce a superior article the figs must be as sweet as 
possible and very pulpy. Too often do we find figs in the market con- 
sisting of nothing but skin and empty seeds, without sweetness, fiavor, 
or pulp. Figs do not ripen all at one time, and the trees must be gone 
over daily, in order that only the ripest shall be gathered. Before 
being picked the fig should be soft to the touch ; it should be wrinkled, 
and should hang downward. Some kinds when ripe show white seams 
or cracks in the flesh. This is generally a sign of complete maturity. 
Figs will not ripen after picking and never become sweeter than when 
cut from the tree. Similarly, figs which have once attained their full 
maturity do not improve and should be dried at once. If allowed to 
hang longer on the tree they may quickly rot, sour, or mold, and soon 
become unfit for use. In order to compete with the best imported figs, 
our figs intended for drying should be very sweet; in fact, the sweeter 
the better. When freshly cut they should contain 35 per cent of sugar 
and when dried about 55 per cent. For home consumption they do not 
need to be so sweet as this, for any palatable figs are useful when care- 
fully dried. 

PICKING. 

Figs to be dried should never be shaken from the trees, for if bruised 
and injured they will sour during the drying and become unfit for use. 
A few figs spoiled in this way will check or prevent the sale of a box 
of fruit that is in other respects good. Pulling the figs from the trees 
will also injure them in a similar way. The ripe figs should therefore 
be cut from the tree with a knife or shears and carefully placed in boxes 
or trays. Of course, many half-dried figs that drop from the trees may 
be utilized, but they should first be examined to determine whether 
they are in good condition, and they must be freed from soil and sand. 
Our figs do not, as a rule, drop at perfect maturity, but either before 
or after it. Only the Smyrna figs drop when fully ripe. 

For the higher growing varieties a convenient instrument called the 
"fig cutter" may be used. It consists of a forked stick across which 
has been nailed a strip of tin plate. Below this is a small bag kept 
open by a wire. With this "cutter" the higher figs may be reached by 
running the fork up under the fig, severing it from the branch and 
causing it to drop into the bag below. 



17 

SULPHURING. 

Of late years sulphuring figs before drying has become a very commoD 
practice amoug growers. It consists in exposing fresh fruit to the fumes 
of burning sulphur in air-tight tray holders of varying sizes. The sul- 
I)hur fumes cause the tigs to become semitransparent when dried, and 
to present an attractive appearance to the buyer. But nothing is more 
deceptive, for this very handsome appearance hides a more than worth- 
less interior, not only detestable to the taste but also injurious to the 
health of the consumer. Few persons will buy such fruit a second time. 
Besides giving a semitransparent appearance to the fruit, the sulphuring 
X)revents fermentation of the tigs while drying. This, of course, is of 
value, and in fact is the only advantage in the process. A short and 
light sulphuring may therefore be admissible with varieties which other- 
wise would not dry and cure without souring. 

For convenience, the box in which the figs are to be sulphured should 
not be more than 5 feet high nor more than 7 or 8 feet wide. This will 
admit two trays abreast. The trays slide on a rack or on a cleat nailed 
to the sides of the box, and need not be farther apart than just suffi- 
cient to clear each other when charged with a single layer of figs. The 
door must be air-tight, in order that the sulphur fumes may not escape. 
Two feet of space should be left between the bottom tray and the sul- 
phur pan. The latter, a heavy piece of sheet iron, is heated, but not 
to redness, and placed on noncombustible supports in the bottom of the 
box. Two handfuls of sulphur are thrown upon this iron and when it 
is burning the doors are tightly closed. Exposure to the sulphur fumes 
for fifteen minutes is sufficeut to prevent fermentation during the drying 
process and leave the figs with a minimum of sour taste. If sulphured 
longer they become too acid. After removal from the box the figs 
should be immediately exposed to the sun. Black figs should never be 
sulphured. 

DIPPING FRESH FIGS. 

Instead of being sulphured to improve their color and soften their 
skins, figs may be dipped into a hot solution of salt or saltpeter, or 
even lye. Unless, however, they are immersed for a long time this dip- 
ping will rarely prevent fermentation, though it will prove advanta- 
geous in other ways. Figs with a rough and tough skin are especially 
benefited, the principal efiect of the dipping being to soften the skin. 
But this dipping should be practiced only on figs of inferior quality, 
the best grades not being improved either by dipping or sulphuring. 

In dipping, the figs should first be placed in a perforated bucket and 
rinsed in cold water, to free them from dust. They should then be 
transferred to a kettle containing boiling lye, made of 1 pound of potash 
to 10 gallons of water. An immersion of from one-fourth minute to one 
minute suffices; the time being regulated according to the size of the 
figs and the pliability and thickness of the skin. Boiling salt water 
12417— No. 5 2 



may be substituted for the lye water for the clipping of some figs, dif- 
ferent varieties requiring different solutions to secure the desired result. 
After dipping, the figs are dried without rinsing. If salt or saltpeter is 
used instead of lye, 1 J pounds of either to 50 gallons of water is a proper 
quantity. Lye is generally used, but the writer prefers salt or saltpeter, 
either of which gives good results as regards pliability of skin, while 
the salty taste generally improves the flavor. 

DRYING ON TRAYS. 

For convenience in handling, wooden or paper trays are commonly 
used for drying figs in the Western States. By their use the fruit can 
easily be stacked and sheltered in wet weather. The trays are of various 
sizes, but a small size, such as 2^ feet by 3^ feet, or 3h feet by 4 feet, is 
preferable, as when filled with fruit it can easily be handled by one 
man, while a larger size requires two men. The drying ground should be 
a clean space outside the orchard, where the trays may be exposed to 
the uninterrupted rays of the sun. The figs require all the sunshine 
obtainable, and the drying ground must therefore be free from the shade 
of trees or buildings. The drying floor may consist simply of beds of 
soil elevated a foot above the general level. A drying floor 4 feet wide 
may be raised 8 inches additionally along one side. The sloi^e toward 
the sun thus given will insure greater heat. Trays may be placed on 
strips of wood or scantlings supported by low sawhorses. The saw- 
horses should be long enough to support two rows of trays abreast. 
Three scantlings or strips will be required for each pair of sawhorses. 
They should be of even lengths, as long as obtainable, and the middle 
one should be larger than the outside ones; 2 by 4 inches for the middle 
one and 2 by 3 inches for the side scantlings will be found convenient 
sizes. The figs should be placed singly on the tray, with their eyes 
all toward one side, and this side of the tray should be slightly raised 
in order to prevent the contents of very juicy figs from running out 
during the process of drying. The raising of the trays is the most 
easily accomplished by placing the 2 by 4 inch supporting strip in the 
middle of the sawhorses and the 2 by 3 inch strips on either side. 
Immediately after sulphuring, if that is practiced, or after dipping, the 
fruit should be spread and the trays distributed on the racks where 
they will have the full benefit of the hottest sun. This distribution of 
the trays should be finished before noon each day to secure the best 
color of the dried product. 

The figs must be turned twice a day at first and once a day in the 
later stages of drying. The turning requires much work and expense, 
as it can be done well only by hand labor. An inferior product may be 
turned by placing an empty tray face downward upon a filled one and 
inverting them, leaving the fruit on the new tray. To produce the best 
grade of dried fruit, the figs should not touch one another on the trays 
during the process of drying. During the turning, all inferior figs, 



19 

such as those that fermeut aud puflfiip, should be culled out and used 
for vinegar. Figs which show a slight froth at the eye are turning 
sour and should be removed. 

Covering the figs must not be neglected, if a choice article of dried 
fruit is to be j)roduced. If white tigs are left out over night uncovered, 
they will be discolored. Rain and dew are very damaging and the fruit 
should be protected from them. This is best accomplished, in Califor- 
nia, by stacking the trays one on top of another when rain is exj)ected. 
The top and sides of the stacks should then be protected with empty 
trays. If permanent drying beds of gravel and cement are made, a 
mechanical device for covering the trays with a horizontal canvas cur- 
tain can be used, and in this way they can easily be covered every night. 

DEGREE OF DRYNESS. 

It is very important that drying cease when the figs have reached the 
proj)er stage for jjacking. They must on no account be overdried nor 
should they be removed from the trays too soon. The proper degree of 
dryness can be detected by pressing the figs between the thumb and 
finger. They should be soft and pliable, with the contents distinctly 
pulpy, aud when squeezed the fig should not resume its former shape, 
but remain pressed. It should be plastic, not elastic nor dry. Under- 
dried figs will spoil in packing, while overdried ones are hard, leathery, 
and worthless as food or delicacy. The trays must be gone over everyday 
and the properly dried figs taken off, the spoiled ones being removed at 
the same time. The time required for drying varies from four to six- 
teen days. Drying within six or seven days yields the best quality of 
product. 

SWEATING AND EQUAX,IZING. 

Dried figs are greatly benefited by being sweated or equalized as 
regards moisture. This is accomplished by placing them in sweat 
boxes holding 75 pounds or more. The boxes are stacked up one across 
another in such a way as to insure a free circulation of air. This is to 
prevent the sour fermentation, which would spoil the figs. The room 
where the sweat boxes are stored should be closed and the walls should 
preferably be of brick. Daily examination of the contents of the boxes 
should be made, so that any inclination of the fruit to ferment and heat 
may be detected. In a few days an improvement in the texture of the 
figs will be noticed, the overdried ones having attracted moisture from 
those that were uuderdried and all having become more pliable. 

ARTIFICIAL DRYING. 

Where figs can not be dried in the open air, evaporators or driers, 
heated artificially, may be used to advantage, just as in the drying and 
curing of raisins. Large driers are expensive and are beyond the reach 
of many growers, but small driers, holding a ton of fruit, may be built 



20 

cheaply. It may be safely stated, however, that localities where artifi- 
cial drying is necessary are not suited to the most profitable produc- 
tion of commercial figs, as any extra handling will greatly increase the 
cost of the product. Where a very superior article is produced the 
occasional use of the drier may be profitable, in order to save a crop 
that would otherwise be injured by inclement weather. 

PACKINGr. 

The method of packing dried figs and the kind of package used should 
vary according to the quality of the finished product. They should be 
packed in order to prevent drying out, as well as to make them present 
an attractive appearance. It pays to pack the best grades well, for 
good packing always enhances the value of fruit. 



The first step in packing is the dipj)ing of the dried fruit, and this 
must be done whether the figs are packed cheaply or expensively. The 
dipping, which must be done just before packing, causes the figs to 
become soft and pliable, equalizes moisture, and improves the skin and 
its color. Perforated buckets holding 5 gallons of dried figs are suitable 
vessels for holding the figs during the dipping. A kettle arranged for 
heating water and large enough to i>ermit the immersion of the bucket 
of figs should be i^rovided. In this kettle sea water or brine made of 
one-fourth i)ound of coarse salt to a gallon of water should be heated to 
the boiling i^oint. The bucket of figs should then be immersed in this 
boiling brine for a few seconds and emptied on to wire screens to drain. 
While draining, the figs should be covered with a cloth or otherwise 
kept dark. The fruit should be packed on the same day that it is 
dipped. The best grade of white figs, or very soft figs of any grade, 
should only be dipijed in cold salt water, just before packing. The salt 
water is never washed off, and the salt that remains does not in the 
least injure the figs, but, on the contrary, imj)roves their quality. 

ASSORTING. 

The inferior figs which were removed from the trays during the dry- 
ing process should be assorted into at least two sizes for packing. A 
yet lower grade which can not be profitably packed may be sold in 
sacks. The largest Smyrna figs weigh, when dried, about 23 grams 
[355 grains, or about four-fifths of an ounce avoirdupois], while the 
average French and Italian figs weigh each about 8 grams [123,45 
grains, or a little more than one-fourth of an ounce avoirdupois]. 



The best grades of figs should be pulled or flattened before packing. 
This pulling consists first in squeezing the fig with the hand to soften 
it, and then flattening it so as to shape it into a disk in which the eye 




21 

and stalk are nearly in the center of the flat sides, as may be observed 
in packages of figs imported from Smyrna. The object of this pulling 
is to have the figs present as fine a surface as possible when they are 
pressed and packed, this method enabling the packer to hide the 
eye and stalk ends effectually. For inferior brands it will suffice to 
simply flatten the figs in such a way that the eye and stalk are at 
opposite extremities of the fruit when pressed. In pulling and hand- 
ling the figs, the hands of the worker should always be moistened with 
salt water to prevent them from becoming sticky with sirup and thus 
soiling the figs. 



The packing should be regulated according to the size and quality 
of the figs. The size of the boxes will therefore vary, but they may 
be made to contain 5, 10, or 20 pounds each. In Smyrna the figs are 
packed in the shajie of bars, and this method should be followed for all 
the better grades. In order to pack quickly in bar fashion, the writer 
several years ago invented a "bar-packing device'' or "guide." This 
guide consists of a frame of two or three parallel strips of tin or zinc 
connected at opposite ends by two similar strips. The guide, which is 
really a metal box without top or bottom, fits exactly into the packing 
box flush against two of the sides, but is slightly higher than the depth 
of the box in order that it may be pulled out after filling. The guide 
is placed in an empty fig box, thus dividing it into three or more com- 
partments. The figs are then placed in rows in each compartment 
with the eyes downward, each fig slightly overlapping the other, in the 
way shingles are laid on a roof, just sufiiciently to hide the stalks. 
The compartments in the guide should be slightly narrower, or at most 
no wider than the figs, so that when pressure is applied the figs will 
flatten and fill them. The object of the guide is to keep the fig bars 
separate. After the box is full a slight pressure is applied, which 
squeezes the figs against the sides of the guide, and when the latter 
is withdrawn leaves the bars intact without large air holes between 
the figs or bars. 

PRESSING. 

The raisin presses used in California are suitable for pressing figs. 
Theie is no better machine for this purpose made anywhere. A follower 
of wood covered with zinc is first placed in each compartment on the 
figs and a slight pressure applied in the press. The pressure must be 
strong enough to bring tlie figs to the level of the box. The guide is 
then lifted out, while the fingers of the packer press firmly on the fol- 
lower to hold the figs in place. Instead of having a guide in which the 
bars are connected at the ends, the box may be grooved on the inside 
and a single strip of zinc or tin dropped down, thus dividing the box 
into two or more compartments as may be necessary. The strips are 
more easily removed than the more complicated guide. Before the box 



22 

is nailed up, small leaves of the sweet bay {Laurus nohilis) should be 
inserted between the figs on the surface, and over the whole should be 
spread a sheet of waxed paper. Instead of the sweet bay leaves, other 
native laurel leaves may be used, provided they are aromatic, have the 
distinctive laurel flavor, and are not otherwise objectionable. 

It can not be too strongly urged that American-grown figs be packed 
and sold under their proper labels and not designated "Smyrna" figs. 
Careful selection of varieties, skill in growing and curing, and careful, 
honest packing will in time procure a large market for our tigs. 

In all the Mediterranean countries the fresh as well as the dried fig 
is a common article of diet, both nourishing and wholesome, and it is 
only a question of time when its value will be generally recognized in 
this country. 



II 



FIG CULTURE IN THE GULF STATES. 

By Frank S. P2arle. 

The fig is a domestic fruit of prime importance in all the Gulf and 
South Atlantic States; throughout this region it is a common dooryard 
tree. Its broad, rich foliage is one of the first things to catch the eye 
of the Northern visitor and assure him that he is really in the South. 

Toward its northern limit the tree is sometimes injured by unusually 
severe winters, but unless killed to the ground it never fails to produce 
heavy annual crops. Even severe winter-killing is usually but a tem- 
porary loss, as the roots send up vigorous sprouts that bear the follow- 
ing year. 

Although the fig is so widely distributed and so universally esteemed 
for household uses, it is only recently that any attempt has been made in 
the territory under consideration to utilize it as a commercial product. 
In the search throughout the South for possible money crops, other than 
cotton, it is beginning to attract attention, and in this connection a brief 
statement of our present knowledge as to the growth and possible uses 
of the fig may be of service. 

PROPAGATION. 

The fig roots easily from cuttings and is usually jiropagated in this 
way. Short pieces or even large branches of well-matured wood, cut 
from the tree at any time during the winter and simply thrust into the 
soil, will usually take root and make a strong growth the following 
summer. The Avell-matured wood is best for making cuttings. One of 
the most desirable methods is to cut a section bearing a short but 
thrifty lateral branch from a good -sized limb. The section taken 
should be 6 or 8 inches long and be entirely buried in the ground, leav- 
ing the end of the side branch projecting to form the tree. This is not 
at all essential, as a straight cutting will usually root and grow readily, 
but it is desirable, as the buried cross section holds the cutting firmly 
in the ground and its bulk prevents it from drying out easily. In the 
coast region cuttings are often planted in August with good results. 
In this case the leaves should be removed. It is advisable to plant the 
cutting where the tree is to stand, as fig roots are easily injured by 
transplanting. Little is gained in growth by planting rooted trees, but 
when such are used both roots and tops should be heavily pruned when 

X)lanted, to secure a satisfactory growth. 

23 



24 

Sometimes it is advisable to plant tlie cuttings in the nursery and to 
keep them there for three years before removing them to their perma- 
nent location, as winter protection can be more easily given them. 
After the trunk of the fig is three years old it is much less easily 
injured by cold. This practice would seem to be of doubtful value, 
since young figs are more often injured by late frosts after growth has 
started in the spring than by the greater cold of midwinter when they 
are dormant. Figs can be grafted without difficulty, but it is seldom 
done in the south. 

SOIL AND LOCATION. 

The fig will grow in almost any location, but it attains its highest 
development on a rich, moist, but well-drained soil, that contains 
abundant humus. 

A plentiful supply of lime, phosphoric acid, and potash is also needed, 
and if not contained in the soil must be supplied by fertilization. The 
best conditions for fig growth are found in the bottoms and hammocks 
rather than in the sandy uplands, though many fine specimens can be 
found in either location. In planting for home use it is advisable to 
plant the trees near the house and about the farm buildings, for they 
always thrive in such locations, while many failures have been made 
in attempting to establish them under orchard conditions, especially in 
the light soils of the "piney woods" region. It is not easy to account 
for these failures, since the old dooryard trees are so universally 
healthy and thrifty, though growing without care or attention. Several 
causes can be cited that may contribute to the result, but all seem 
insufficient to account fully for the facts observed. There must be 
some undetected factor that contributes to the almost universal superi- 
ority of dooryard over orchard-grown fig trees in the Gulf States. 

One of the most obvious difficulties in establishing a fig orchard 
arises from the fact that the young trees are tender and easily injured 
by 'the cold. Figs start very early in the season, and the frequently 
occurring spring frosts often catch them in quite vigorous growth. 
This does no great harm to old trees ; though the young leaves are killed, 
they soon push out again, and as the principal crop of fruit is borne on 
the new wood the crop is not much injured. With young trees, how- 
ever, it is different, as the tissues of the trunk are softer. Fine, thrifty 
trees of one or two years' growth are killed to the ground by a slight 
freeze after their spring growth has started. They may start again 
from the root, but their vitality is injured and they do not seem to 
fully recover. Such trees at 3 or 4 years old are often no larger than 
after the first summer's growth. Young trees also suffer much more 
severely than old ones from extreme cold in winter, even when entirely 
dormant. It would appear that the shelter afforded by buildings and 
yard fences may sufficiently protect young trees from damage, when in 
an open space they would be severely injured. Then, if from a dozen 
cuttings stuck down in such outof-the-way places only two or three 



"1 



25 

grow, tliey are seen and remembered, while the failures are forgotten, 
whereas an orchard row showing a stand of only one-fourth is very 
unsatisfactory. The dooryard tree usually gets the benefit of ashes 
and house-slops, and perhaps the wash from the barnyard. These 
sources of fertility are all beneficial, for the fig is a gross feeder. Its 
roots are never broken by the plow, which is another great advantage, 
for the fig has a shallow rooting habit and does not thrive when its 
feeding roots are disturbed. 

In the light soils of the South it is extremely difficult to keep plows 
and cultivators from running so deep as to do serious injury to fig trees, 
and the proper cultivation or treatment of a fig orchard is therefore a 
serious question. Many growers advise against plowing after the first 
year, but the tree will not thrive if choked with grass and weeds. To 
keep a large orchard clean with a hoe is no small undertaking. Some 
advocate heavy mulching to keep down weeds, and that is doubtless 
often advisable, but the hard, clean-swept southern dooryard seems to 
suit the root habit of the fig better than any system of cultivation 
yet devised. Another point to be considered is that the fig suffers 
severely from root knot when i)lanted in the fields where vegetables or 
cowpeas have been grown, as the nematodes • causing this trouble 
multiply in the roots of all such crops. 

In planting a fig orchard care should be taken to select new land 
that is known to be free from these pests. 

The fig has a spreading habit of growth and when old requires con- 
siderable room. As the cuttings cost but little, it is well to plant rather 
closely, with the expectation of thinning out the trees when neccessary. 
With 200 trees to the acre the earlier crops would be double those 
obtained from a planting of half that number, though doubtless 100 
full-grown trees would sufficiently occupy the land. Twelve by 16 is a 
suitable distance for the trees when young. Removing alternate rows 
when needed would leave the i^ermanent planting 16 by 24 feet. It is 
best to plant two or three cuttings at each place, to be sure of a stand. 
All but the most vigorous can be cut out if more than one starts to 
grow. 

CULTIVATION AND FERTILIZATION. 

Unquestionably figs should be thoroughly cultivated during the first 
season. This is necessary to give them a good start, and as the young- 
trees make their largest growth after midsummer it is important to con- 
tinue the cultivation late in the season. Unless the soil is quite rich 
some fertilizer should be used, as the future" of the tree depends largely 
on its vigor during the first season. An excessive use of stable manure 
or other nitrogenous fertilizer should be avoided, as the tendency of 
these is to induce a soft, succulent growth too easily injured by the 
winter. The "piny- woods" soils are deficient in phosphoric acid, and 
this should be a prominent ingredient of all fertilizers used in regions 
where these predominate. 



26 

It is not advisable to attempt to cultivate any vegetable crop among 
fig trees, on account of the danger of increasing root knot, and because 
such crops are likely to interfere with cultivation at the time when it 
may be most needed. 

The best subsequent treatment for a fig orchard is, to a certain extent, 
an open question. It is probable that in most locations the best results 
will be obtained by mulching heavily near the tree with any available 
material that will hold moisture and keep down the weeds. Pine straw, 
marsh grass, or planer shavings answer the purpose. The dust from 
old charcoal pits is sometimes used, and on the coast a mulch of oyster 
shells is often seeu. The slowly decomposing shells probably act to 
some extent as a fertilizer, since the fig is known to thrive best in strong 
lime soils. The middle of the rows can be kept clean by a shallow plow- 
ing and harrowing without disturbing the mulch and without injury to 
the roots protected by it. Winter protection of some kind should cer- 
tainly be provided during the first two or three years, at least to the 
extent of mounding the dirt or mulch high about the base of the tree 
in the fall. Protecting the tops with old gunny sacks or pine branches 
will often prove of great advantage. 

Pruning is seldom practiced, except so far as may be necessary to 
properly shape the young tree, and this is better done in summer by 
pinching. In case of a freeze, all injured wood should be promptly cut 
away. It is said that the size of the fr'uit can be greatly increased by 
judicious pruning, but, as before stated, it is seldom done. 

Figs come into bearing very early. A thrifty growing cutting will 
often set some fruit the first season, but this seldom matures. When 
the tree does not winterkill, a little fruit may be expected the second 
season, and by the third the crop should be of some importance. 

INSECT ENEMIES AND DISEASES. 

The fig is usually spoken of as being comparatively free from insect 
enemies, and the literature of its diseases, of which there are a num- 
ber, is scanty. It is i)robably true that in most localities it is less 
frequently injured from these causes than are other fruit trees. 

Among the diseases reported from the South the one causing most 
widespread injury is doubtless root knot. 

FIG-TREE BORER. 

A longicorn beetle, Ptychodes viUattis, has caused considerable injury 
at some points in Louisiana and Mississippi by burrowing into the 
trunk and larger branches. In reply to inquiries regarding this insect, 
Director W. C. Stubbs, of the Louisiana Experiment Station, says: 

The damage clone in Louisiana is to a large extent conjectural. In our groves we 
have lost several trees temporarily, all being bored into by this borer. They, how- 
ever, start up again quickly from the roots and soon replace the injured trees. We 
have had no remedy against this invasion except to dig it out while very young with 
a penknife. We have tried various insecticides without any apparent results. 



27 



FIG-LEAF MITE. 



A browning and subsequent premature falling of the leaves, caused 
by the work of a minute mite, is reported as rather common in Florida 
by Mr. H. J. Webber, of the Subtropical Laboratory. It has not been 
studied. 

Mr. Ellison A. Smith, jr., botanist and entomologist of South Caro- 
lina Experiment Station, has published a list ' of insects observed feed- 
ing on ripe figs, but he does not mention any that injure the tree. 



KOOT KNOT. 



This disease is caused by a microscopic nematode or true worm, 
Heterodera radicola,'^ that infests the soft fibrous roots causing small 
galls or swellings. When present in sufficient numbers it causes the 
death of the roots and the consequent starvation and death of the tree. 
It is by no means confined to the fig, but attacks the roots of many 
other fruit and ornamental trees and shrubs and is especially injurious 
to many garden vegetables and farm crops.^ This pest thrives best in 
moist sandy soils, and is troublesome throughout the entire coast region. 

No effective remedy is known when a tree is once infested, hence the 
necessity for planting on land known to be free from the pest, and the 
importance of not growing vegetables between the trees that will act 
as a nurse crop for the disease. 

Neal recommends thorough drainage of the land and tl;e application 
of tobacco dust mixed with unleached ashes or lime as the most prom- 
ising remedial measures. He advises against the excessive use of 
ammoniacal manures as producing a soft, succulent root growth favor- 
able to the growth of the nematode. (See Bulletin No. 20, previously 
cited.) 



FIG-LEAF RUST. 



Brown spots frequently appear on the foliage during the summer, 
and, if numerous, cause the leaves to fall prematurely. These spots 
are caused by a true rust fungus, Uredo fici Oast. It occurs quite 
frequently widely, and abundantly, but as it usually does not develop 
enough to be noticeable until after the crop is ripe, it seems to do but 
little harm. No attempt has been made to find a remedy. 

FIG CERCOSPORA. 

A somewhat similar injury to the leaves is known in Europe, caused 
by an entirely different fungus, Gercospora holleana (Thum) Sacc. It 
had not been observed in this country until the summer of 1895, when 

' South Carolina Experiment Station, Annual Eeport, 1889, pp. 105, 106. The listis 
as follows : Allorhina uitida (L.) , Ptychodes trilineatns, Lybithea bachnianni ( Kirth), 
Apatura celtidis (Bd. Sec), Grapta interrogationis (F.), Pyrameis atalanta (L.), 

^G. F. Atkinson, "A preliminary report upon the life history and metamorphoses 
of a root-gall nematode (Heterodera radicola (Greefl) Miill.) and the injuries caused, 
by it upon roots of various plants." — Alabama Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. 9. 

^J.C. Neal, in an account of the root-knot disease (Dept. Agr., Div. Ent., Bui. 
No. 20) gives a list of over 60 species of plants known to be infested by it. 



28 

it was found abundantly in Mississippi by S. M. Tracy. A cercospora, 
probably the same species, is also reported from Florida by H. J. 
Webber. It probably occurs quite commonly, but has been overlooked, 
its injuries being confounded with those caused by the Uredo. 



A dying of the young shoots in the fall and early winter is sometimes 
noticed. This occurs before they can have been injured by severe cold 
and its cause is not known. It usually occurs in feeble trees, those 
injured by previous winter killing or perhaps those suffering from root 
knot. A similar trouble is noted by A . F. Barron, of Ohiswick, England, 
(The Garden, June 20, 1891, p. 57 7). He fmds it occurring in trees grown 
in pots, and says it is there seldom noticed in trees growing out of doors. 

ROOT ROT. 

The fungus Ozonium anricomum Lk., which causes a root rot of cotton 
and of many other plants and trees, has been reported upon the fig,' 
but the extent of damage caused by it is not known. Several other 
species of fungi are known to occur on the fig, but none of them can be 
classed as disease-producing organisms. 

VARIETIES. 

Much confusion exists in the naming of fig varieties. They were 
first introduced by the early French and Spanish settlers, and there 
have been more or less frequent importations since. Trees from these 
various sources have been known under many local names, and it is 
probable that there are now many more names recorded than we have 
varieties in cultivation. On the other hand, distinct varieties are often 
met with that can not be named from published descriptions. In 
Louisiana and Mississipiji it is safe to say that nine-tenths of all the 
figs grown are of the Celeste variety. This is sometimes written Celes- 
tial, but among growers it is uniformly known as Celeste. The tree is 
hardy and very fruitful. The fruit is small, but it is one of the best in 
quality. When ripe it is a light yellowish brown, tinged with violet. 
The flesh is light red, delicate in texture, and very sweet and rich. A 
number of other varieties occur, but they are known under local names, 
such as "black fig" or "Spanish fig." More attention has been paid to 
nomenclature and to the planting of different varieties in other parts 
of the South, but the Celeste is the favorite in nearly all localities. 

Some interesting papers on figs were read at the meeting of the 
American Pomological Society, held in Florida in 1889, and in the 
published proceedings of the meeting the following 18 varieties are 
catalogued among the fruits recommended by the society. 



iFarlow and Seymour, A Provisional Host-Index of the Fungi of the United States, 
Part 3, p. 183. 



29 

List of figs recommended by American Pomological Society. 

Alicaute; Angelique — synonym, Jaune Eative; Brunswick; Blue 
Genoa; Black Ischia; Brown Smyrna; Celeste; Green Iscliia — syno- 
nyms, White Ischia, Green Italian; Lemon; Violet, Long; ^^iolet, 
Round; Nerii; Pregussata; White Adriatic ; White Marseillaise ; White 
Genoa; Superfine de la Sausaye; Turkey — synonym, Brown Turkey. 

On comparing this list with 11 others furnished by nurserymen and 
writers on the fig, and taken at random from Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, 
and Florida sources, we find 14 of these names occurring more or less 
frequently. Four are not mentioned at all, while 13 additional names 
appear, making a total of 31 varieties in the 12 lists. Celeste and 
Brown Turkey lead, being mentioned 11 times each; Adriatic, Lemon, 
and Brunswick come next, each occurring 8 times. White Marseillaise 
is mentioned 7 times; White Genoa and Green Ischia, 6 times; Black 
Ischia, 5 times; and San Pedro, which is not in the American Pomo- 
logical Society's list, occurs 4 times. We may perhaps conclude that 
these 10 varieties are the most generally grown in the South, but some 
of them are to be considered as nurserymen's recent introductions from 
California, rather than as varieties in general use. They are character- 
ized in the Pomological Society's list as follows: 



Variety. 



Season. 



Brunswick Early... 

Black Ischia Medium 

Celestial [Celeste] Early 

Greeu Ischia 

Lemon 

White Adriatic 

White Marseillaise 

White Genoa 

Turkey 

Sau Pedro ■ 



.do 
.do 



Color. 



Quality. 



Violet 

Black 

Pale violet. 

Green 

Yellow . . . . 



Medium 

...do 

Early to late 

Not mentioned. 



White . 

do. 

Brown. 



First . 

....do 

do 

do 

do 



Second. 

do. 

First . . 



Size. 



Very large. 
Medium. 
Small. 
Medium. 
Do. 

Medium. 

Large. 



Other lists agree in describing both White Adriatic and San Pedro 
as very large white ligs of the best quality and very desirable where 
they succeed, but as being tender and nonfruitful in many locations. 
Celeste, Brown Turkey, and Brunswick are more uniformly commended 
for hardiness, fruitfulness, and general utility than any others.' 



USES. 

At present figs are mostly used for household purposes, comparatively 
few being prepared for market. They are eaten fresh from the tree or 
are served on the table with sugar and cream. They can also be stewed 
and made into puddings and pies, and when canned or preserved they 
make an acceptable table delicacy throughout the year. On first tast- 
ing fresh figs many people are disappointed and think they will not 
care for them, but on further acquaintance nearly everyone learns to 



' The canning factories greatly prefer the Celeste, paying one-fourth more for them 
than for larger, coarser kinds. 



30 

like tlaem. If picked at all green the fig exudes a milky, acrid juice 
that has a rank, disagreeable flavor. When fully ripe this disappears, 
and in learning to eat figs one should choose only the ripest specimens. 
The beginner will find eating them at the table with plenty of sugar 
and cream a pleasant introduction. It is needless to commend this 
method to those who are acquainted with it. 

For canning, figs should be picked when still firm enough to hold 
their shape. To secure the best results they require the use of more 
sugar than do some other fruits. If undersweetened they seem tasteless 
and lacking in quality. The amount of sugar used and the method of 
procedure vary greatly in different households. A pound of sugar to 
3 or 4 ijounds of fruit would probably suit most tastes, though some 
prefer the regular "i^ound for pound" preserve. Ginger root or orange 
j)eel is sometimes added to give variety of flavoring, and figs are often 
made into sweet pickles by adding spices and vinegar. Figs are some- 
times peeled before canning, and this is considered to increase their 
delicacy of flavor. More frequently, however, they are cooked unpeeled 
and with the stems on, just as they come from the tree. They hold 
their shape better and look more attractive when treated in this way, 
and the difference in flavor, if any, is very slight. 

Figs are occasionally dried for household use, but as they ripen at 
the South during the season of frequent summer showers, this is so 
troublesome that it is not often attempted. A nice product could doubt- 
less be made by use of fruit evaporators, but these are seldom used far 
South. 

In speaking of home uses for the fig, its value as food for pigs and 
chickens should not be forgotten. Both are very fond of them, and on 
many places the waste figs form an important item of their midsummer 
diet. In fact, no cheaper food can Tae grown for them. 

MARKETING FRESH PIGS. 

Eipe figs are very perishable. To be marketed successfully they must 
be handled with great care. It is best to pick them in the morning, 
while still cool. They should be taken from the tree with the stem 
attached — great care being exercised not to bruise them in handling — 
and placed in small, shallow baskets, in which they are to be marketed. 
In large packages their weight will bruise them badly. The ordinary 
quart strawberry basket crate is a suitable package for marketing figs. 
They will carry better, however, in flat trays, holding but a single layer. 
This form of package is especially desirable for the larger varieties. 
Figs should hang on the tree until quite ripe and develop their full 
sweetness and flavor, but in this condition they are soft and perishable 
and must be consumed at once. For marketing at a distance it is nec- 
essary to pick them while still quite firm. This is unfortunate, for 
though they will soften and become quite edible, they will lack the fine 
quality of tree-ripened fruit. This fact will always be an obstacle to 
the successful introduction of the fresh fig into distant markets. When 



31 

picked in right condition the fruit will keep from twenty-four to thirty- 
six hours at the ordinary temperature and may be shii)ped short dis- 
tances by express. Figs ripen in midsummer when the weather is hot- 
test, and this is one reason why they are so difficult to handle. Like 
other fruits they will keep longer at lower temperatures. They do well 
under refrigeration, and by using refrigerator cars it is quite i^ossible 
to put them on the more distant Northern markets in good condition. 
This has been done experimentally in connection with other fruit ship- 
ments, but it is not often attempted. Fresh figs are not known or 
appreciated in Northern markets, and consequently the demand is too 
limited to encourage shipments. It seems doubtful if the distant ship- 
ment of fresh figs will ever become a profitable business. The fruit is 
more perishable than any other that is generally marketed. It can be 
handled only by the most careful and experienced persons, and even 
then it is not in a condition to show its best quality. Eipeniug in mid- 
summer, when the Northern markets are crowded with many well-known 
fruits, and not being specially attractive to the eye, fresh figs would at 
best gain favor slowly. The fact that many people do not care for them 
at the first would be another obstacle in the way of their popularity. 
Moreover, the fig is a tedious crop to handle, when in proper condition 
for market. It is necessary to i)ick the trees over carefully every day 
during the season, or much fruit will be overripe. With large trees, 
this involves much labor; the acrid juice of the immature figs eats into 
the fingers of the pickers and packers, while rainy weather occasions 
heavy loss by the cracking of the fruit, which renders it unfit for 
market. 

Notwithstanding these drawbacks, a limited demand would undoubt- 
edly be created if the fig were placed regularly on the market, for many 
j)eople are very fond of this fruit. It is quite possible that in sections 
especially adapted to fig culture, and favored with rapid refrigerator 
transportation, the shipment may become a business of importance. 
When a regular home market can be found, even at moderate prices, 
no crop is more profitable, as the trees bear regularly and abundantly. 
The only hope for such a home market, except in the immediate neigh- 
borhood of large cities, is in increased use by canners. 

CANNING FACTORIES. 

Everyone likes canned figs. The taste does not have to be educated, 
as is often the case with the fresb fruit. The factories at Biloxi, Miss., 
and at New Orleans, La., appreciate this fact, and for several years have 
been putting increasing quantities of the canned product on the market. 
Up to the panic of 1893 the demand for these goods was very active, 
and the canners paid as high as 4 cents per pound for the fresh figs 
and could not get enough to fill their orders. Since then the demand 
for all luxuries has fallen off and factories have curtailed their pack- 
ing, but have not materially reduced the price of the product, which 
has alT^ays been very high. There seems to be no reason, aside from 



32 

the larger quantity of sugar required, why figs should not be grown 
and canned as cheaply as peaches. If this were done the demand 
would soon be very large. It is in this direction, if at all, that there 
seems to be an opening for the building up of the fig industry in the 
South. 

The processes used by the factories in canning figs differ somewhat 
from household methods. They also differ among themselves. Each 
factory has worked out a plan of its own, the details of which are 
regarded to some extent as trade secrets. In one factory, whose prod- 
uct has been much admired, the iirocess consists in boiling the fruit 
at first in a very light sirup, allowing it to cool, and then transferring 
it with successive heatings and coolings to sirups of gradually increas- 
ing density. The whole process requires nearly two days. In the 
finished product the fig, while holding its shape perfectly, has become 
partially transparent, and as the final sirup is clear and free from 
sediment the fruit is very attractive. 



LRMr'OS 



